The Love Box Ch. 06

The next day, I woke up beside Sixcia as had become the usual now. Of course, she wasn't actually asleep, but according to her, it was felt good to lie down next to me like this. Her colorful eyes connected with mine almost immediately.

"Hey." I croaked out.

"Good morning, Miri. How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

I flipped off the bed and went to the mirror. I nearly fell when I felt a slight soreness in my pussy. Apparently, I'd cum a lot harder than I thought yesterday, to the point where my body had interpreted things as if I had been doing some sort of advanced crotch exercises.

"Ashley messaged you in the night, by the way."

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. Ashley wasn't really the type to go to sleep late. A huge source of her endless energy was the fact that she made sure to get a ton of sleep every day.

"Here." Sixcia passed me my phone.

TheFriend: Uh, hey, can we talk?

"Huh?" I said aloud. "That's... Weird."

Me: Sorry, I was asleep.

Me: Sure.

Almost immediately, she replied. I checked the time, it was around 8:00 already. Just thirty minutes before the first period.

TheFriend: You? Going to sleep early??? I'm impressed

TheFriend: Can we meet up at lunchtime?

Something came to mind there. Things really had been changing for me. Before, she wouldn't have even had to ask. There was no doubt I would have been free. Now though, with the... Holy shit, with the **friends** I've been making, Ashley actually felt compelled to ask.

Me: Of course

TheFriend: Nice, I'm glad we can spend some time together, you've been... kinda busy lately

TheFriend: didn't you say you'd tell me about that?

Oh, right. Now, here was a situation I never thought I'd find myself in. My best friend, for years and years the only friend I had, and now I'm...

I was considering coming out to her. I had to tell her, right? Sure, that thought was swirling in my head, but how exactly do you tell your best friend "hey, you know that gender you belong to? Turns out, I'm into 'em!"

I sighed and Sixcia flew over to me.

"Something on your mind?" She asked sweetly.

"Yeah... I don't know what to do about Ashley."

"Oh?" Sixcia put her index finger on her bottom lip. "Seems to me it's pretty simple if the tv shows I've been watching are to be believed."

"Life isn't that simple."

"Regardless, it appears that the right thing to do would be to tell her, right?"

"That's what I'm afraid of. I mean, how exactly do I say something like that?"

"You are correct, love confessions can be difficult for humans."

"Yeah, I mean..." My mind caught up to what she said. "W-What?"

"Hm? That is the issue, right?" Sixcia looked me dead in the eyes and said: "You don't know how to tell her that you are in love with her?"

I blushed so hard I was afraid for a moment that I would faint.

"WHAT?" I waved my hands back and forth. "No no no no, no-no. That's not it, I mean, hell no!"

Sixcia looked confused.

"Oh? Does she know already?"

"NO, there's no, I mean, I'm not in love with my best friend!"

Sixcia's eyes glowed.

"Um..." Now she looked embarrassed. "You're sure about that?"

"Wh-, of course, I am!"

"Hm... I'll have to ask someone about this." Sixcia muttered to herself. "Anyway, what's the issue then?"

"Uh..." I was still reeling. Seriously, how do you recover from someone telling that to your face like that? "I-I was referring to the fact that I'm... A lesbian." Even saying it now made me feel butterflies inside.

"Oh. Well," Sixcia grinned confidently. "All you need to do is believe in yourself!"

...

"I don't think motivational speaking is your strong suit," I replied.

She sighed.

"I just, it's hard for me to advise you on that because, for me, it's as simple as just saying it."

I sighed in return.

"Shit," I mumbled. "I guess I'll try 'just saying it' then." With that, I went to take a shower and try to get myself ready.

While I was doing that though, Sixcia grabbed her phone and called Kosn (her vesie friend) once more.

"Hey! Yeah, been a while. Oh, everything's great. Yeah, my owner is amazing, I love her! But, listen, I need your advice. See, there's this other woman, her name's Ashley, and my eyes tell me my owner is in love with her, but when I asked, she denied it... Oh? What? Really? Wow. I didn't know humans were that... Prickly. So, what do I do? Oh, oh, okay. I see. Well, I don't like it, but I guess I'll do that."

--

A few hours later, it was midday and I was getting out of my classroom. Behind a line of students, I saw Ashley on the other side of the hallway, waving at me. I smiled a little. Ashley had been there for me for so long, as much as she annoyed me sometimes, I held nothing but affection for her.

But, that wasn't... That wasn't love, right?

As I was walking her way, a tall, caramel-skinned girl stopped me.

"Hey!" Kalissa called out to me. She told her friends something along the line of "wait here" and jogged up to me. For a moment, I had forgotten everything that happened between us, when I saw her knowing smile, it all came back to me. Her friends, who were there when I had stepped in to save Kalissa from that inspection, all said hi to me.

My face was red as I waved a little.

"Hi..." I greeted her quietly.

"Sorry, I'm with these idiots so I can't really hang out," Kalissa said with a smirk. "But, I figured I could get a taste, right?"

"Huh?" I wondered what she meant as she leaned in.

She kissed me. It wasn't a make-out or anything, don't get me wrong, but in front of everyone, she kissed me on the lips. Her friends cheered for her as she walked back over to them. A few people started whispering to each other, but for the most part, no one cared.

Aside from one confused girl standing in the distance.

Ashley froze as we made eye contact. I gulped. "Well, I guess now I have to tell her." I thought as I walked up. She wasn't smiling, but she didn't look angry or anything either.

"Uh, hi."

"Hey," Ashley mumbled, staring at me.

"I guess I owe you an explanation." I started. "Walk with me?"

"Sure."

We went outside the school. Walking through the packed streets, I managed to find a little spot beneath a tree that was unique to Halfgreen, which had white-blue leaves, falling around us.

"So..." I breathed in. "Ash."

"Yeah?"

"I'm... I'm into... I'm a lesbian." I forced out before my body could will itself to run away. I waited for it. A disgusted scoff, a slap, a cry. Something generally negative. Instead, warm, soft arms wrapped themselves around me.

"You are?" Ashley asked me while we hugged.

"Yeah."

"... So, are you dating Kalissa?" She asked. I shook my head.

"No, we, uh... We just had a moment and, uh..."

"I get it." She chuckled.

"Thanks." I laughed a little, the tips of my ears were red as we sat there, quiet.

"You know I've got your back, right?" Ashley asked.

"Uh, yeah."

"No, really." She placed her hand over mine. It was electric, I nearly flinched. "I've always been on your side, Miri. That's never going to change. No matter who you... Who you're with, or whatever. I'll always be there for you."

Her eyes were so close to mine I could see my own reflection in them. I nearly shed a tear. Her eyes drifted down for a moment before they came back up and she leaned in to kiss my forehead.

"I love you, Miri."

"I..." Sixcia's words briefly came to my mind, but I shook my head. "I love you too."

"... Wow. Didn't know you had it in you to be sappy." Ashley smirked.

I pushed her a little.

"Fuck off." I chuckled. "See if I ever come out to you again."

With that, she hugged me and I felt myself melting into her.

"So!" Her voice regained that bubbly tone. "Well, do you remember a certain promise you made to me a day ago?"

"Uh... If I say no, will you hit me?"

"I'll be tempted to."

"No."

She sighed.

"The Moonlight Festival! It's tomorrow! You said you'd come with me."

"I... did," I remembered. "I will. Actually, I should ask Sixcia if she wants to..."

"No!" Ashley interrupted me. I blinked. "No, I mean... I'd like it if it were just the two of us."

Oh. Shit.

"Oh," I replied. "Shit."

"Is that okay? I mean, I don't mind if..."

"No, no, it's fine," I replied. "I'll let everyone know I'll be busy."

At that, Ashley gave me a smile that made me feel... Strange.

"Thanks, cutie."

With that, her other friends texted her and we said our goodbyes. As she was about to start walking away though, an idea emerged in my head.

I mean... I am so not in love with my best friend or anything. I swear...

But curiosity made me wonder...

If I aim the Love Box at her, what'll happen?

So, I picked it up quickly, out of my backpack. As Ashley turned around, I aimed it at her back. I turned it on, and I closed my eyes, waiting.

Nothing happened. By the time I opened my eyes, Ashley wasn't there. I looked in the box, nothing. It was empty.

I chuckled bitterly.

"Of course." I don't know why, but I felt sad. "Of course she wouldn't be into me like that."

--

Nothing happened for the rest of the day, so my time awake concluded wondering why a girl like Priscilla liked me when Ashley didn't. Why Kalissa could when Ashley didn't.

I'd never been the jealous type, but I'll be honest, when I thought of the fact that Ashley would apparently rather have sex with Sixcia than me, I felt bitter. It was a sour thing to take in. I mean, I'm not good looking or anything, but really? She had just met Sixcia like a week ago!

I went to sleep madder than I'd been in a while but for reasons that I didn't really get.

The Moonlight Festival arrived at night the next day. People could wear whatever they wanted to, but the tradition was to put on a dress or something fancy. So, I wore a short black lace dress that my mom had bought for me for the last festival, which I didn't go to. I tied my hair up, letting it hang over my shoulder. Finally, although I never really thought make-up fit me, I put on some concealer.

The dress was... Uncomfortable. It was so short I was afraid that people could actually see my black panties. I made an executive decision and decided "hey, anyone who doesn't like black sandals can fuck off" and yeah, I put on some black sandals. Did it fit? No. But I was not about to walk around for hours in heels or something, God forbid. That was where I drew the line.

I got a text from Ashley then, saying that she would be waiting for me by the entrance to the place. That bitterness had slowly faded by now. It was unreasonable for me to just expect her to like me, I realized. Sure, I was still jealous, but hey, Ash was her own person, right? She could like whoever she wanted to like. Even if it was someone she hadn't even spent a month with, NOPE, totally not bitter.

I hugged my mom, told Sixcia I'd be back late (and not to have any intercourse with my mother) and breathed in, exiting my house. The site of the festival was within walking distance, so it didn't take long for me to get there.

It was 7:00 pm. The radiant sun was starting to hide behind a sheet of grey. My legs felt cold, I looked down and for the first time, I actually saw what they (the girls I'd been with so far) meant. My legs, which for all intents and purposes were bare, considering my short dress, looked... Plump, I guess is one way to put it.

I stood around the entrance, having gotten there way earlier than everyone else was going to. It was kind of like a carnival, with tents and small house-like buildings spread throughout the area. The highlight though was the fact that this place was set up on a hillside. So, there was a stunning view of Halfgreen to the left, where the fireworks would be coming from.

I was in awe as I heard my name.

"Miri!" A girl called out to me. I turned to my left and my breath caught in my throat when I saw Ashley walking up to me.

Holy shit, she was beautiful. Legitimately, she was like some kind of model. She wore a sunflower miniskirt that fit wonderfully with her hair and slightly tanned skin. Her eyes, a piercing orange were like two suns themselves. She had put on some dark red lipstick, decorating two soft lips that were spread into a grin, aimed at me.

I realized then, that Sixcia... Okay, maybe I wasn't exactly in love with her, but my god did I want her. And I don't think anyone could blame me, seriously, at that moment she was the most gorgeous woman I'd ever laid eyes on.

She walked up to me and wrapped her right arm around my left.

"Whoa! You look amazing!" She grinned, and I blushed.

"T-Thanks." For years, Ashley had been one of two people I could confidently talk to, but right now, I could barely keep myself from fainting. "You look great too."

"Heh, wow, you? Giving a compliment?" As I looked away, she snaked her way in front of me to where I couldn't look anywhere else except for at her. "You really have changed. Come on, let's see stuff!"

The first thing we did was shoot ducks. Plastic ducks lined up above a little pool. A guy with sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt gave us a toy rifle to use. Ashley adorably missed every shot, cackling in between attempts. When I received the gun, I managed to take one down!

"Congrats!" The guy gave me a stuffed penguin for my efforts. I looked down at it, it really was pretty cute.

"Ugh, alright Miri. Enjoy your win, I'll get you next time."

"Yeah right," I smirked. "You're not winning shit, babe." As soon as I said that, I cursed myself. She wasn't into me. I had to hold back the pseudo-flirts.

"You're going to look so stupid, just you wait."

Next, we took part in a classic Halfgreen game. A few people had to stand in a circle blindfolded and try to find a partner using the sound of their voice, with the first pair to succeed getting a little prize.

We lost because I was confused in a lot of ways, directions being one of them.

"Well, we suck," I said and Ashley laughed.

"Ironic, isn't it?"

Huh?

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, because you're a lesbian and I'm bi. We're sucking! Get it?"

I blinked.

"You're bisexual?" In retrospect, I was being pretty stupid. I mean, the fact that she would have sex with Sixcia in the first place should have let me know that, right? Still, I asked.

"Yeah." Ashley plainly said with a smile.

It was then that I realized how little I actually knew about Ashley. You know how some people spend years waiting for that world-shattering revelation to come in that changes their entire world view? I was having my own at that moment.

For years, I'd known Ashley, but there were really basic things about her that I had no knowledge of. I didn't know what her favorite food was, I didn't know what kind of colors she liked, I didn't know that she was bi, I didn't know what she wanted to study in college.

I had been so caught up in my own drama, I'd never learned anything about the girl closest to me.

"Ash," I suddenly started, "what do you want to do? When you get out of high school I mean."

"Oh? I want to be a nurse." Ashley stated. Just learning that put a smile on my face.

"Yeah, I can see that."

The rest of the event went by in a flurry of laughs and easy smiles. Every couple of games, I found Ashley clinging a little too closely. She'd lay a hand on my shoulder or hug me tightly when I won something. In the end, I had one stuffed penguin, a toy Obi-Wan lightsaber and some Skittles.

The people started mobbing their way to the left, which let me know before I even looked at my watch that it was about to be time for the fireworks.

"Come on!" Ashley grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me away from them.

"Uh, what? Where are we going?"

"You'll see!" She excitedly told me as we skipped through the makeshift streets. My heart was pumping as I understood that I was enjoying myself. Honestly, with all the vesie related incidents that had been happening to me recently, this was the closest I'd gotten to feeling normal in a long time.

We walked out of the zone of the festival and ran up to a part of the cliff that was slightly separated from where everyone else was going. It was 10:00 pm. The night sky was in full effect, and when we stopped running, the moonlight and the distant street lights beneath us were the only things illuminating us.

We finally stopped. Ashley, who had been in heels this whole time, took them off.

"Take your... Are those flip-flops?" She asked.

"Yup. And what about it?"

"... You're ridiculous." Ashley laughed as I embarrassedly looked away. "In the most wonderful way." She softly added.

"Gee, thanks."

"I mean it!" She slapped my shoulder lightly as she walked forwards. "Come over here."

"Okay..." She led me to the cliff's edge. To my surprise, it wasn't actually that high up. Instead, it was a ten-foot drop to another cliff where everyone else was. "No one knows this spot." She whispered in my ear.

I looked over at her. Her eyes shined so brightly in the night, almost as brilliantly as her grin.

"I won't tell anyone." I shrugged.

"You better not." I struggled to sit down next to her because of the dress, but when I did, we sat with our shoulders touching, our thighs and knees bare in the cold air. If I peeked, which, alright, I did, I could see a tiny hint of pink between her legs.

"I never thought you'd be a lesbian." Suddenly, Ashley said.

"Why?"

"You always went on and on about wanting hot guys to notice you." Ashley smiled as she went on. "You never complimented me on anything either. Or any girl, for that matter."

"I only just figured it out," I replied shyly. She smelled like strawberry, a scent that was driving me crazy since it was close to me.

"How?" She asked as she let her head fall on my shoulder. "How did you realize it?"

"I... Well, the short of it is that Kalissa kissed me." Ashley's eyes widened a little. "And I found that I didn't exactly hate it. And that, in fact, I'd like to do it again."

"Just with her?" Her voice was taking a sound that I didn't really know all that much. It was a lot huskier than usual.

"N-No... With girls. In general."

"I see..." I turned away. She continued looking at my face even then, with her head still on me. "I wish I'd known sooner."

"Why?"

"Maybe then I would have been your first." I froze. I looked over at her and she was staring at me with half-lidded eyes. I was... Confused. What was happening?

"W-Why?" I asked. "Did you... I mean...?"

"Yeah." Despite the cold, I swear, I'd never felt hotter in my life. "If I could... I would. Even now."

"What?" I turned towards her. Big mistake. Her face was inches away. Our lips were basically already touching.

"Do you want to?" She whispered into my lips.

I nodded but before I could verbalize an answer she pushed me down. It was like something out of a movie. In an instant, all I could see were swinging trees, the night sky and her body over mine between it all.

"Miri." She mumbled. "I'm going to..."

And that was it. Her lips pressed against mine. My eyes remained open for a few seconds before almost on an instinctual level, I closed them and placed my hands on Ashley's back. Maybe she took that as the go-ahead because that was when the kiss started in earnest.

Our lips danced beneath the stars. It didn't take long before I felt her cold tongue seeking entry into my mouth. I let it happen. The grass acted as a bed behind me, where Ashley kept her knees at my sides. We went slow at first. Maybe she was just feeling things out, but on my end, I was just internalizing the fact that it was happening.

With every tug and pull of my lips, a memory would appear in my mind. Me waddling sadly out of my middle school classes only to find her excitedly waiting for me. Me, feeling lonely and sad at night, and her sending me a text that instantly made my day less heavy.